Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-04-30
READING. How And What to Read.

Wheeling. va.
aReading without purpose is saun-
tering, not exercise. More is gained
from one book on which the thought
settles for definite end in knowl-
edge than from libraries skinned
over by wandering eye. A cottage
flower gives honey to the bee a
kings garden none to the butterfly.
Bulwer Lytton.
The eccentric Carlyle in some of
his writings said, "a University was
place where men learned how to read
What to read, how to read and when
to reed IS If very great importance to
those who are bent upon the improve
ment of the mind. / have often
wished that my comprehension was
deep enough to retain, my purse
heavy enough to buy and life suf
ficiently long to read all of the superb
works of literature extant. Thackeray
when asked what would afford him
most real happiness. answered, 10
have Alexander Dumas go on writing
novels forever and he (Thackeray) to
spend eternity reading them. What
shall we read? Do not hold your
breath, gentle reader, | am only go
ing to deal in generalities not specifics
There are some books that all cultur-
ed people read, and if you wish to at
tain degree of culture you must
read them or sit silent and alone,
while others, of more intelligence
than yourself converse. A safe rule
is to choose your books as you do
your intimate associates; not on the
account of their number, but their in-
trinsic value. A man is known by
the company ne keeps intellectually
as we'll as morally. Read standard
works. Pay more attention to the
author of book, than its title Often
fine title and beautiful binding are
only the veneering that hide the
3strashp within. In the choice of
books, strive to read the best from
the best writer's; in this way you will
get the diamonds ofliterature without
the trouble of breaking away the
crust that surrounds them. The field
of literature is boundless. 1t would
neither be possible nor profitable in
one short life to try to skim over 1T
all. Do not confine your reading to
one subject or set of subjects, If you
seek general rather than a special
culture. Men who confine all their
reading to one subject, rarely fail to
become posted upon that, but they
finally wilt into narrow minded hob
bies unable to understand any body
or ANYTHING that does not move IN
their special groove. A bouquet OF
tube roses is odoriferous, but not aes-
thetic, it lacks variety. So our read
ing should be made up of posies
culled from the literary flower gar
dens of earth, arranged to give the
most beauty, method and usefulness.
Do not understand me to say, that
you should skip around from Moses
to the Smiths and Browns of the pres
emit, never completing anything, on
the contrary when you begin a sub
iect, hunt it down. First think your
self hungry, then read yourself full,
but do not frit away all life trying TO
ascertain whether picked frogs
ham, applied before storm, will cure
bunion, the value of the discovery
will not justify the sacrifice of a whole
life. History, Poetry, Science, and
Fiction, carefully selected, should
compose our literary nosegay.
How should we read? Read. as
much as possible, with some definite
purpose of knowledge in view. Re
fleet upon what you road. Reading
without Rejecting is like eating
without digesting." Write a synop-
sis or an abreyiation of articles or
books that particularly please or in
terest you. In this way you make
the thought of the work your own.
Try to become acquainted with an
authors method Of thinking. Look
if you can into his mental work shop
and see how he compares, analyses
and arranges the thoughts that move
the world. Remember that a few
books, we'll chosen and understood
are of more value than large collec-
ton skinned over lightly. When
should we read? The excuse OF
many is" / have no time? Some
of our most learned men have found
time while waiting for meal, to gain
sufficient knowledge to raise them
selves from poverty to wealth. Save
the moments, and the hours and days
will give an account of themselves.
If you have leisure hour instea d
of wasting it in pursuing the tickle